FREAKING OUT!!

Crazy hormonal woman here! ELCS is in 15 days and I'm going stir crazy with overriding fear and anxiety over the whole thing. It's dc2 but first section and "elective" is the last word id use to describe it. Please chill me out. Tell me your positive experiences of ceseareans please before dp loses the will to live with me.

Twins by c-sec.No problems really lost quite a bit of blood but that was due to the size of the babies (6lb 4oz & 8lb 2oz). Nice neat scar, minimal pain and home after 3 days. I was able to look after my babies straight away and no issues in picking them up. I BF with no problems too.Only thing I can say is that the area around my scar is numb. That's it really. Good luck OP.

Had my second ELCS 8 weeks ago.Lovely relaxed experience , pain relief was given to me plenty .Discharged home after 23 hours feeling fine.It's more nerve wracking in the days leading upto it I think but in reality it's fine and on the positive you get to lounge about for a few days having lots of new baby snuggles and people fussing over you enjoy

I had a CS 10 days ago and the only thing I was worried about was having the spinal - however it was nowhere near as bad as I thought, there was nothing to it actually. I won't lie, I found the sensation of being numb quite unnerving and I was quite anxious during the procedure, it was a very surreal experience actually. It took 12 minutes to get baby out and 45 minutes to stitch me up. As soon as baby had been weighed he was given to my husband for son to skin so for all that time he was nestled inside my DH's theatre top. I felt a bit sad that I couldn't hold the baby myself but he was given straight to me once I was in recovery.

Please don't be frightened. I had one emergency section after failure to progress, foetal distress and it wasn't great, but it was fine. Took a while to recover, realistically 4-6 weeks, but I think that was because I was left labouring too long (36hrs +) and PFB had feeding problems.

Second section was planned (because of an incompetent cervix?!?!?) Admitted the night before, walked waddled down to theatre. Pain relief excellent, procedure straightforward, back in the ward in under 2 hrs. Stayed in for three days, recovered quickly, only had paracetamol for a few days while I got back on my feet. Driving, with insurance permission at 4 weeks. No problems bf DS2, or bathing, feeding, playing with PFB

It is a scary prospect if you think too much about it, so try not too. Be kind to yourself and recover at you pace. The surgeons have done it plenty of times and know what they are doing. Keep thinking of meeting your new baby, you'll be so distracted your csection will be easy. Good luck

I had an EMCS after 24 hours of labour and I honestly had a much better physical recovery than most of my ante-natal class who all had shorter labours and no CSs. Lovely neat scar, minimal pain and I was up and about within about 6 hours. DD breastfed like an absolute pro as we were being wheeled round to recovery.

Don't be afraid. The only thing I'd do differently would be to insist that they don't move my legs until the screen is up, because that messed with my head a bit, but I was originally in theatre for an attempt at forceps and ventouse so I don't hold it against them.

Are there things that you're particularly worried about that we can talk you through?

Thanks everyone. I've had ops before for emergencies so walking to theatre for a section seems so unnatural. I'm irrationally hospital phobic so the idea of being awake to the sounds, sights, lights and sensations of an operating theatre freaks me out.

It actually didn't feel like being in a theatre though. I took my own CD in with me which really helped as I just focused on enjoying my favourite songs / other than that, there weren't really any noises as they aren't actually using any instruments. The staff were chatting amongst themselves during the procedure and I just chatted to DH. There's nothing much to see either - the only things in my eye line were DH to my side or the screen across my chest - I certainly didn't feel like I was in a clinical environment.

It was all just really strange - one minute you're on a bed feeling shoved around a little and the next your baby is being held up in front of you and you know you've had an operation but it just doesn't feel like it. Until they held baby it hadn't really register with me that the procedure had even started.

I was very anxious during the procedure but in hindsight the whole thing is actually really calm and laid back.

Hi, I am same position as you! I have had two elective sections one 15yrs ago and one 9 years ago, I have my next on th 15th of may and I have freaked out since finding out I was pregnant (as it was not planned!) but I have had no bad Experiances , so just generally being very anxious. Planned sections are sooooo much safer than emergency ones and they are a lot calmer, the staff make you feel very relaxed, so try and relax and I will try taking my own advice too :0)

My best mate had her ELCS today! She described the experience as 'lovely'. I am due to have mine very soon so it was great to hear her experience because I'm nervous too. I am overweight and that was a big source of anxiety for me for ages but I asked people on here about their experiences about delivery and especially recovery and the majority of them were really good, even with a high BMI, so I'm trying to look forward to it rather than worry. I love the idea that it's over so quickly. My first baby's (vaginal) delivery was pretty traumatic. x

Had an ELCS for low placenta with DC1, was bricking it at the prospect of spinal, major op etc. Had a WAY better experience than any of my friends who had a VB. Neat scar, up and about after 24 hours, out of hospital in 3 days. I did get awful nausea while being stitched up and as a result could only hold baby briefly, DH sat next to me cuddling him while I retched over a bowl... But compare 45 mins of nausea with hours of pain, tearing etc and it's nothing really. You are having a baby after all!

I'm the only one in my NCT who wanted a second baby after their first birth experience so that tells you a lot!